Man admits to killing Redding teen in 1993, telling police he couldn’t live with guilt

Three people have been arrested by Redding police in a 1993 homicide case after one of the suspects contacted a TV station saying he wanted to confess to a murder.

Redding police Chief Roger Moore was contacted Tuesday by a staff member at KRCR Channel 7 News regarding a person who wanted to confess to a murder that occurred in 1993. The suspect, Brian Hawkins, 45, of Shingletown, told the news station crew that he wanted to speak to law enforcement authorities about his involvement in the death of 19-year-old Frank McCalister, according to a Police Department news release.

McCalister was reported missing in May 1993, and his remains were found in 1994 in Shingletown, near Grace and Nora lakes, the news release said. His death was ruled a homicide.

Hawkins met with Redding police investigators Tuesday afternoon and provided a statement, saying he could no longer live with the guilt and wanted to clear his conscience, according to the news release.

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Hawkins told investigators that he, along with Curtis Culver and Shanna Culver, murdered McCalister after luring him to the Shingletown area to rob him of the money he had to purchase methamphetamine. Once they were in a rural area of Shasta County, Hawkins and the Culvers allegedly conspired to murder McCalister, according to the news release.

Hawkins reportedly told investigators that he and Curtis Culver stabbed McCalister to death and left his body in the woods. Hawkins and the Culvers then took McCalister’s money and vehicle, and drove back to Redding, where they abandoned the vehicle in a Costco parking lot.

McCalister’s family reported him missing shortly after his disappearance, and his vehicle was recovered in the Costco lot. Investigators suspected foul play after finding a large amount of blood in the vehicle, the news release said. McCalister’s body was found about year later by a hiker in the Grace and Nora lakes area.

Investigators learned in 1993 that Hawkins and the Culvers were the last people to see McCalister alive, but the three denied any involvement in his disappearance and claimed not to know where he was, according to the news release.

Police said Hawkins’ statement corroborated evidence in the case.

Curtis and Shanna Culver, who are brother and sister, were contacted in Red Bluff and taken into custody Wednesday. They, along with Hawkins, were booked into Shasta County Jail on suspicion of homicide.

During the past 24 years, police said, investigators followed numerous leads and examined physical evidence collected in connection with McCalister’s death. Anyone who has information regarding the homicide is asked to call the Redding Police Department at 530-225-4200.

If you have information about any of these people, please call 800-222-7463 or 916-443-4357, or report online at crimealert.org.